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CFA calls for new code of practice on fixings
The Construction Fixings Association (CFA) is calling for the implementation of a code of practice to govern the
specification and installation of construction fixings. This follows three structural collapses, two of which were fatal, in
which fixings failure played a part.
The CFA, which comprises of the UK’s six Safety Board: “the probable cause… was the method statements, details of available
biggest names in fixings technology and use of an epoxy anchor adhesive with poor training and a wide range of other information.
manufacture – fischer, Hilti, Liebig, Rawl, Spit creep resistance.” It must be stressed that Much of this is available on the CFA website at
and 2K polymer systems – urges that lessons while this particular type of resin is not www.fixingscfa.co.uk, and I would encourage
should be learnt by the industry from instances available in the UK other factors may have those involved in any aspect of anchor usage
of fixings failure. The Association believes a contributed to the failure, which could happen to familiarise themselves with this information.
code of practice will encourage best practice here. It could make the difference between life and
with regard to the whole chain of fixings Autumn of 2007 saw an incident at a death,” says Mark Salmon.
selection, from commissioning through to school in the West Midlands, where incorrect Specifiers to the UK market have a useful
installation. It will include the mandatory use fixing specification was a contributory factor. A guide as to the appropriateness of different
of fixings with European Technical Approvals suspended ceiling, installed two years anchoring solutions. For the past decade
for all safety critical applications. previously, collapsed in a classroom, European Technical Approvals (ETAs) have been
“Our role is to help the industry learn from fortunately while the room was available and now cover all
any accidents which unfortunately occur,” says empty. The poor installation of
Incorrectly installed anchors showing where
three main types of anchoring
they have begun to pull away
Mark Salmon, general manager of the CFA. self-tapping screws into perimeter product – metal, chemical and,
“We believe that ensuring best fixings practice trim appears to have initiated the most recently, plastic. Indeed
can eliminate most of the risk. So we urge failure, but a better fixing pattern construction fixings were the
designers and engineers to first type of building product to
specify anchors with ETAs for be included in this European
safety-critical applications and we approvals regime. All members
advise stockists to avoid of the CFA have products in their range
supplying cheap product sourced with ETAs.
from low cost producers with no Training is vital for those on site
quality assurance. We also stress installing anchors for safety critical
the importance of installers being applications. Of the 20 anchors which failed
fully trained in the correct in the Big Dig incident, 19 were found to
installation processes.” have voids of up to 38 per cent in the area
The incidents which the CFA of the resin bond. According to the NTSB
has examined happened report, this would have contributed
between 2002 and 2007. In an significantly to the failure, especially if the
accident on a building site in the
Aftermath of the fatal ceiling collapse in the Boston ‘Big Dig’
remaining drill holes had not been
Republic of Ireland in 2002, adequately cleaned. Anybody with
fixings failure led to the collapse knowledge of fixings is well aware of the
of a stairway and the death of one for the ceiling hangers may have prevented it. critical importance of hole cleaning, especially
construction worker and injuries to two others. However, the lack of a clearly specified brand for resin anchors. This, again, seems an area
It became apparent that incorrect fixings had manufactured to recognised quality assurance where best practice may not have been
been used, contrary to the original procedures meant that investigating the followed by the installers on site.
specification, and also that inappropriate performance of the original fixings after the So, could a fatal accident ever happen here?
materials handling on-site may have applied event was impossible. Yes and No. The adoption of European
unforeseen loads to the fixings. All of these incidents were entirely standards makes straightforward fixings failure
Four years later in the ‘Big Dig’ accident in preventable, says the CFA, and would have less likely, but a failure due to other
Boston, USA, sections of concrete ceiling been much less likely to happen, given better contributory factors, principally human error, is
panels fell from the roof of a road tunnel, training on fixings. as likely here as anywhere else. Hence the
killing a female passenger in a car travelling “To assist the industry in developing its need for a comprehensive code of practice
through the tunnel. According to a subsequent overall skill levels, the CFA now publishes a which considers all aspects of fixings
investigation by the National Transportation wide range of technical guidance notes, specification and installation.
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